Week Four- STUCK!
CrisN99
Posts: 159 Member
I'm in my second week of Week Three and I know that my body can handle week four- but my head is stuck on not being able to run five minutes straight. Tomorrow I want to move forward into Week four. Anyone have any tips for getting out of my head?
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I've been doing C25K for nine weeks now and have only just completed Week 6. The biggest thing I've learned is that it's not a competition. The programme starts off fine but it does then really jump up. I find that by keeping in my head that I don't HAVE to do the prescribed runs, somehow it makes them easier to get through. I think it's all about relaxing and actually trying to enjoy it, rather than having a panic over not be able to complete a particular day.
I've been on holiday for a week so missed all my runs last week. But the week before I did a 25 minute run (which was unthinkable two months ago when I could barely run for 30 seconds). Today I actually made the decision not to follow C25K and I just ran and walked as I pleased.
Tomorrow I will get back on board and will aim to do the 25 minute run at the start of Week 7. By being relaxed about it I find I can definitely run for longer.
Other things are:
* Keep your pace slow. C25K is about getting you moving and getting off the sofa - speed and distance will come later. Better to complete a really slow five minute run than burn out after two minutes by going too fast. One of my friends on MFP referred to it as 'molasses slow' running, which I thought was perfect!
* If you're running to music find a song that is around five minutes long. Music does make the time fly by faster and you will have a feel for where you are up to. (Preferably something upbeat and inspiring!)
* Make sure the five minute run section is on a flat, easy route. I changed my route on Week 3 and made the mistake of trying to go up hills. Easy enough when walking but impossible when first starting running. On days when C25K has me doing big runs I run back and forth up and down a riverside path near where I live as I know it will be relatively flat all the way.
Most importantly - if you find any of the days in the programme hard, give yourself a break. Starting running is an incredible challenge and you are still faster than the person sitting on the couch (or the person on Week 1!). I have repeated loads of the days and done days of just free running and walking without timing myself... and here I am, two months later, able to run for 25 minutes. Nothing short of a miracle!
Let us know how you get on.0 -
I'm in the same place you are....
I've been dreading week 4 - terrified of the 5 minute runs. Tried it yesterday. first 3 minutes went fine, but only got about 4 minutes through the first 5 minute interval - before my breathing was all crazy and had a stitch in my side that I couldn't walk off....
BUT - it was still 7 minutes of running with only a minute and a half of walking mixed in. Impossible a few weeks ago.
I, like you, think a lot of my problem is mental - I've convinced myself that 5 minutes isn't possible. Today, instead of following a prescribed anything, I went outside, walked 5 minutes and jogged for 5....just to prove that the 5 minute segments are NOT some mysterious hurdle that is impossible to scale. You can do it. If not today, then you just keep trying until you can. I believe in you.
BTW - Listen to SRH7 - she's a very smart lady, and keeps plugging away at it and progressing even when frustrated. She's been a daily inspiration to me
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Thank you Kim - that's really kind of you.
I'm not always very good at sticking to things but I am extremely stubborn, so utterly determined to keep running!0 -
For your longer runs, run at a pace you can maintain for a long time. This may mean you need to slow down to a comfortable pace. This is how I got through my 20, 25, and 28 min runs the first time. It wasn't about speed or maximum distance. It was about running for the specified time to increase endurance. If I am running at a comfortable speed, I do not focus on littte aches and pains, I do not constantly tell myself to run to the 3rd lite pole or the next building to get through the run. I listen to my music and only check my watch at the end of each song or at the end of a lap. Sometimes I can just focus on other things going on in everyday life instead of the mechanics of the run itself. Using the c25k program, physical issues should not get in the way. Going from two 10 min segments to one 20 min segment was the biggest obstacle I have had to overcome in this program. I found out It caused more mental rather than physical issues than it needed to prior to the run.
I did wk8 28 min run this morning. Before I was obsessing on the time fo the run. But then I focused on going for my daily run without thinking about the time. Once I was running, I ran at a speed that I could maintain for a long time. I finished the 28 minutes and the speed was not significantly less than I normally run at.
Get in your zone and enjoy the run!0 -
Thanks so much for all the support and the tips! I am going to go out there and give it a try and see what happens. 0
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I'm not sure if you're running on a treadmill inside, or if you enjoy your runs outdoors. If you do run outside, it is easier to ignore the little aches and pains by FOCUSING on ANYTHING other than the running. It can be a bird perched on a wire, the wind blowing across your skin's surface, the person walking their dog, the color of the sky, or whatever else takes your mind off the running. By focusing on the running, it is too easy to notice the minor aches that irritate us and contribute to a negative experience. Our bodies were built for running!0
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I run (shuffle? LOL) outdoors. I'd like to be ready for the treadmill by this winter- but at this point it takes me the entire rest period and half the run time to adjust the speeds up and down. LOL Once I get to longer runs, I think indoor running will be more enjoyable for me.0
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I run (shuffle? LOL) outdoors. I'd like to be ready for the treadmill by this winter- but at this point it takes me the entire rest period and half the run time to adjust the speeds up and down. LOL Once I get to longer runs, I think indoor running will be more enjoyable for me.
Hey! I love to shuffle! We are officially runners now
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I did Week 4 Day 1 today. I didn't find it too hard. I've never been a runner in my entire life. I'm 52 and at least 40-50 pounds overweight at 235.0
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Well something went wrong with my download on the podcast- so my Week four did not have any voice cues. !!! *dislike*
So instead I switched to the Week Five Day 1 ( 3 five minute runs) and did the first and last runs! WOW~! I found another podcast for week four and will try that one on Thursday- at least I know I can totally manage the five minute run!
YAY!!!0
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